Predators' Mcgriff Wins Award

Sports Buzz

May 29, 2003

Orlando Predators offensive specialist Travis McGriff was named the Arena Football League's rookie of the year Wednesday after completing his first AFL regular season with 81 receptions for 1,216 yards and 25 touchdowns.

McGriff was named to the league's all-rookie team last week along with teammates Thabiti Davis and E.J. Burt. Burt also received votes for the rookie award.

Although McGriff missed two games this season with injuries, his single-season numbers ranked in the franchise's top 10 in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns and all-purpose yards. McGriff was an All-American at Florida and saw limited action in three seasons in the NFL. The Predators begin their playoff run at 3 p.m. Sunday against the New York Dragons at TD Waterhouse Centre.

TYSON SAYS HE WOULD RAPE VICTIM NOW

Mike Tyson hasn't lost his penchant for saying the outrageous.

In a television interview scheduled for broadcast tonight, Tyson again denied he raped Desiree Washington in 1991 in an Indianapolis hotel room. But he said the burden of being labeled a convicted rapist makes him want to do it now.

"I just hate her guts. She put me in that state, where I don't know," Tyson said. "I really wish I did now. But now I really do want to rape her."

Tyson made the comments during a recent interview in Miami Beach with Greta Van Susteren, who was taking a look back at the circumstances of Tyson's 1992 trial that ended with him convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison.

AC MILAN FINALLY TOPS JUVENTUS FOR CHAMPIONS CUP

Andriy Shevchenko's penalty kick lifted AC Milan to its sixth Champions Cup title at Manchester, England, beating Juventus 3-2 in the shootout after a 0-0 tie. The winner in 1963, '69, '89, '90 and '94, Milan edged the Italian league champion in a tense shootout in which five penalty kicks were missed.

Serginio, Alessandro Nesta and Shevchenko all scored for AC Milan while Alessandro Birindelli and Alessandro Del Piero connected for Juventus.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, 49ERS SIGN SALAAM

The San Francisco 49ers signed Heisman Trophy-winning running back Rashaan Salaam, who hasn't played in the NFL in four years.

Salaam, who won the Heisman in 1994 with Colorado, signed with the 49ers after impressing the team at a minicamp earlier in the month. He has been released by four NFL teams in the past four years. Salaam rushed for 1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns during his rookie season with the Chicago Bears, but he was hampered by injuries for the next three seasons.

MORE FOOTBALL: Jerome McDougle, the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round draft pick, pleaded innocent to resisting arrest without violence. The former Miami Hurricanes defensive end was arrested last month, accused of trying to stop the towing of a car registered to one of his former Miami teammates.

UCLA LEADS NATIONAL MEN'S TOURNAMENT

The same balanced lineup that helped UCLA win seven tournaments this season had the Bruins in the lead after two rounds of the NCAA men's golf championships in Stillwater, Okla.

UCLA shot a 7-over 295 to move past seven teams into first place. The Bruins' 598 total was 22-over and put them one shot ahead of host Oklahoma State, which shot a 300. Top-ranked Clemson was third at 601, followed by Florida and Auburn at 602.

The individual leader was Lee Williams of Auburn, who followed his 3-under 69 with a 72 that included six birdies, two bogeys and two double-bogeys. He had a three-stroke lead over Hunter Mahan of Oklahoma State, whose eagle on the final hole gave him a 71 and 144 total.

FORMER FRESNO STATE ADVISER LINKED TO ACADEMIC FRAUD

A former academic adviser for the Fresno State basketball team allegedly participated in the cheating scandal that has prompted an NCAA investigation, according to documents obtained by The Fresno Bee.

The newspaper reported in February that former team statistician Stephen Mintz said he wrote 17 pieces of schoolwork in correspondence courses for three former players in 2000. Mintz claimed he was paid more than $1,000 for his services -- and that Katie Felten, an academic adviser to coach Jerry Tarkanian's team, organized some of the cheating.

Felten has denied involvement in any academic fraud. But in a story published Wednesday, the Bee cited documents -- including a letter from Fresno State President John Welty to Mintz -- that indicate the NCAA and the school believe Felten was involved.